Opportunities and Challenges for Public Auditors

Big data Big data – Large and complex data beyond the traditional capacities of IT infrastructure collated from all imaginable sources, which leverages Information as a vital asset. Includes – Structured/unstructured data – Internal/external data – Formal and informal communication

Big data analytics Big data analytics – Process of analysing big data with a view to discovering – Patterns – Correlations – abnormal behaviour and red flags

Opportunities - Technological explosion – Audited entities transitioning into virtual environments – Processes in real time – Storage, compute and connectivity – no longer limiting factors – Proliferation of Data Analytic tools

Opportunities -Transformational impact for Audit – Enables macro analysis at planning stage of entire data sets instead of a representative sample. – Enables digital auditing for enhanced effectiveness and efficiency Better detection of frauds, waste and abuse – Ushers in new age competencies predictive analysis advanced statistics

Opportunities- Aid to governance Enables a proactive role for SAIs vis-a-vis executive and governance by. – Sharing big data – Sharing insights – Promoting transparency – Enhancing oversight

Opportunities- leveraging data assets Data created by SAIs –internal databases and working papers audits etc Data of audited entities –data collected from various audited entities External data – Data/Reports published by Government – other data in public domain - surveys, bulletins information published by autonomous bodies etc.

Big data analytics- Challenges Managing the people – Transforming the mindsets of auditors – Capacity building Managing the data – Addressing sensitivities of access and usage of data – Addressing veracity of data from various sources – Privacy issues, legislative and regulatory compliance Managing the IT infrastructure – Augmentation of appropriate infrastructure – Establishment of the technical solution

WGITAs role Espouse - the goal of preparing the SAIs for auditing in the big data environment Encourage - SAIs in establishment, implementation and maintenance of a robust governance framework Provide - guidance on best practices to support SAIs to adapt audit design procedures and methodologies to the changing order of big data environment

WGITAs role Practical guidelines could be provided to SAIs on – Digital auditing –preparing and developing mechanisms – Paradigm shift in data analytics –moving from representative samples to the whole data sets. – Guidance on data analytics – on usage of tools, risks involved, training infrastructure

Thank You

Initial endeavours - SAI India Provided additional insights Big data analytical tools enabled additional insights in the cash flow management by State Government involving – Exponential transactional level details of Treasury and RBI for analysing Demand and supply mismatch of various departments Idle cash and avoidable Government borrowings Float time for disbursement – possible red flags/abnormal behaviour Unreconciled cash balances of State Government vis-à-vis RBI balances

Initial endeavours - SAI India Provided greater efficiency Big data analytical tools enabled Audit planning and assessment of substantive testing from a centralised location in a case of presumptive fraud in employee payments involving – Volume – 5 million transactions over months – Complexity – 30,000 field audit units, 35 Departments, 23 Districts and 256 Sub treasuries